The independent
To uncover
newspaper serving
the truth
Notre Dame and
and report
Saint Mary’s
it accurately
Volume 52, Issue 43 | wednesday, november 15, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
Students weigh in on immigration, DACA Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s students engage in campus conversation following national policy changes By COURTNEY BECKER and MARTHA REILLY News Editor and Saint Mary’s Editor
Editor’s Note: This is the second story in a series addressing various political issues and their impact at Notre Dame one year after the 2016 election. Today’s story focuses on immigration and student perspectives on the DACA repeal. Less than a week after the 2016 election, Universit y President Fr. John Jenkins held an interfaith prayer ser v ice during which he promised undocumented students at Notre Dame that
they have the full support of the Universit y. “You accepted our inv itation to come to Notre Dame,” he said at the prayer ser v ice held Nov. 14, 2016. “You are part of our family. We w ill do ever y thing we can to ensure that you complete your education, and you are supported in ever y way possible.” Two days later, on Nov. 16, College President Jan Cer velli took a sign demonstrating her support for undocumented students — as well as support for Saint Mar y’s becoming a sanctuar y campus — from a group see DACA PAGE 4
CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer
A group of students holds up signs showing their support for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals on Sept. 12. The policy allows children of undocumented migrants in the United States to work and study.
Law students confront issue of wrongful convictions By SELENA PONIO Associate News Editor
Second year Notre Dame law student Erika Gustin is more involved in what happens after a trial than during. “Before I started law school I started looking into w rongful conv iction statistics and information
on my ow n, which is absolutely horrif y ing,” Gustin said. “It came out off an interest in process improvement. Ever y thing is a process and ever y thing can be improved.” Gustin is involved in the Notre Dame Exoneration Project, a group working w ith the Chicago Exoneration Project to
represent inmates who were w rongfully conv icted and get them out of jail. She said a lot of w rongful conv ictions usually result from eyew itness misidentifications, fault y human memor y or leading questions from the police. “A lot of it tends to involve see LAW PAGE 4
Dance Company to host annual fall performance By ALEXANDRA MUCK News Writer
The Notre Dame Dance Company w ill host its annual Showcase, featuring 22 dances — including solo performances — and 70 of the 300 Dance Company. In an email, senior Marne Fairhurst, a member of the Dance Company, said each dance is independent, and there are a mix of group dances, duets, trios and
NEWS PAGE 3
solos. Fairhurst said the Dance Company hosts one show per semester. Each show is performed at Washington Hall and run by the students, including the choreography and logistics for the show. The Company hires someone to do the lights and sound. Junior Marisa Lenga, president of the Dance Company, said in an email that this year’s
SCENE PAGE 5
show is looking to further integrate the group’s t wo dance companies — the gold company and the blue company — as well as highlight tap dancing. “We are tr y ing to showcase tap w ith the addition of our tap commissioner position on the executive board,” she said. “We are also tr y ing to blend the gold/blue and tap see DANCE PAGE 3
VIEWPOINT PAGE 6
Angela Athletic Facility reopens By SYDNEY DOYLE News Writer
The new Angela Athletic Facilit y opened Tuesday at Saint Mar y’s after more than a year and a half of construction on the building that hadn’t been prev iously renovated since the 1970s. The facilit y is now open to students and facult y w ith brand new cardio and strength equipment and a larger indoor running track. Construction is still ongoing in the facilit y to finish work on the new cafe, t wo T V lounges and new locker rooms that w ill be finished after w inter break. Saint Mar y’s athletic director Julie Schroeder-Biek said after hav ing offices in separate buildings, she is ready to have all of the athletic staff back in one place. “One of the things I’m so excited about is the staff being back together again,” Schroeder-Biek said. “It’s been a challenge to just stay on the same page. We have monthly meetings and we’re a tight staff, but I can’t wait
FOOTBALL PAGE 12
until we’re back together again.” Schroeder-Biek said she is most excited about what the new Angela facilit y is going to do for the larger communit y. “It’s going to have something for ever ybody,” she said. “If you want to workout, if you want to grab coffee, if you just want to hang out, meet friends or study, it’s going to be a real hub of communit y.” Sophomore soccer captain Callie Doyle said she thinks the new building and equipment w ill help get ever yone in the door to workout. “I think the improvements that they made to Angela w ith benefit ever yone whether they do a sport or not,” Doyle said. “The new equipment and track w ill help ever yone get motivated to work out even when it’s cold outside.” Freshman soccer player Brianna Smith said she is excited that student athletes w ill finally have the see ANGELA PAGE 3
ND W BASKETBALL PAGE 12